Are welders properly certified

TRAINING & CERTIFICATION Qualification vs Certification – Are Welders Properly Certified?

By Paul James, WTIA Training Manager The terms qualification and certification mean different things to different industries and vocations. Some think that the terms are interchangeable or are “basically the same thing”, but are they?

So let’s start with the premise that you have just finished a training course and have been awarded a qualification. A question right away is “are all qualifications the same?” The answer is no, a qualification is an official record showing that you have finished a training course or have the necessary skills at the time the qualification is granted.

Some courses have all the necessary learning outcomes in place (theoretical and practical) so that when you have completed the training, you are able to perform effectively in the workplace.

is independent of the training organisation and has the power to give official or legal approval that a person who has reached or maintained a specific standard.

A certification authority has completed a formal process and verified (and confirmed in Others, once completed, writing by issuing a certificate) require additional the attributes, characteristics, acknowledgments of quality, qualification, or status competence or proficiency to be shown to be able to perform of individuals in accordance that qualification in a workplace with established requirements or standards. environment. Qualification does not necessarily imply The implication is that in some ongoing competence; this cases, a qualification gives may need to be demonstrated you the right or prerequisites and can come in the form of a to apply for certification certification process. to a certification authority.

Examples of certification in A certification is issued by an industry are the Certified organisation or authority that

Practicing Engineer (CPEng) and Certified Welding Inspector (CWI).

In the fabrication industry, a welder can be issued with a Certificate III in Fabrication (which is a qualification level under the Australian Qualifications Framework) which shows they can weld.

In some organisations, this is all that is needed for someone to be able to demonstrate they have the necessary skills, due to both theoretical and practical instruction they have received (and has been acknowledged), to be able to weld and this is acceptable to some workplaces.

Although welding is the joining WTIA Newsletter June 2017

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TRAINING & CERTIFICATION of materials by fusion (simply put), it is still a highly skilled profession and certain skills and knowledge need to be demonstrated when fabricating different structures, such as pressure equipment and vessels, and aircraft welding.

We have a certification scheme in accordance with Australian Standards which grants certification to experienced and competent welders engaged in the operation of various welding processes used in the manufacture of pressure equipment. This indicates a sound knowledge of the theory of safe welding and a

demonstrated ability to make welds on plate or pipe by using the correct welding processes.

This is needed to be able to demonstrate that a recommended degree of quality has been achieved in the welding to meet the needs of safety and performance.

A lot of companies have the issue with finding competent welders for specific tasks so require welder testing to be conducted. In some workplaces, there are requirements for welders to demonstrate their ability to weld with qualified or pre-

qualified welding procedures.

This is done by simulating a specific joint on a test piece, which is then tested to ensure that the applicable standard has been met. This is done regardless of trade or welding qualifications held and is called Welder Qualification.

A recent example as to why this is required would be an Australian company looking to hire welders for a project, who after a recruitment process identified 20 individuals who met the prerequisite qualifications and experience.

The company put the 20 welders through welder qualification testing at a cost to the company of $1,000 per welder, but only two passed. This indicates that welding qualifications and experience are not necessarily an indication of ongoing proficiency.

Some certification authorities issue certifications that have a period of validity or ‘life’.

Although not prevalent in fabrication, it is required in industry to show the following: • The continued ability to be able to demonstrate the level of competence – this is to show that the issue level of certification is being maintained, such as a person who holds an Aircraft Welding Authority must renew this authority

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TRAINING & CERTIFICATION every two years by submission of a weld test.

Technician providing documentary evidence at a five year renewal of continued satisfactory work activity without significant interruption.

• The certification holder is able to progress to the next level of competence due to the experience • The capacity of someone gained – during the time the certification is held that to be able to perform the level of competence – holder has demonstrated the ability to be able to competencies or skills, met prove that certification minimum time requirements should not be revoked or has achieved additional or made invalid due to qualifications to progress other factors like medical, e.g. a Certified Welding eyesight requirements, Inspector can apply for holding other required Senior Certified Welding certification required etc., Inspector due to the e.g. a qualified rail welder additional experience who cannot renew their gained.

Rail Industry Worker Card because of a medical • The currency of the level condition. certified – evidence is provided that the level The validity period can be any of certification is being defined period as specified by regularly performed (more the issuing authority, standards on this later) e.g. NDT

or legislation. This could mean that the person to be recertified would require the submitting of evidence or being re-examined to the standard required of the certification authority.

All these requirements for re-certification are important to the employer but one that I would like to highlight is the importance of currency.

Some industries operate in an environment where continual change means that equipment and processes are quickly out of date.

It is only through keeping up to date with the requirements and regular engagement within industry, that certification holders will understand which skills they need and the changes that are occurring.

Ideally certification holders are regularly exposed to

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TRAINING & CERTIFICATION

workplaces and that they have the ability to participate in certification tasks to maintain and update skills.

What does this imply?

That someone who holds a qualification actually maintains the skills and knowledge of that qualification by performing it regularly.

is still a welding supervisor, despite no recent experience.

Would you employ that person for a senior welding supervisor position?

a level of status identifying ongoing competency in a job or task.

Another example is a welder who was issued an AS 1796 Cert 8G in 1998 but has only fabricated trailer bodies since being certified, do you hire that person on a pipeline fabrication To give an example, if a welder project? This person holds the correct certification and gained a welding AS 2214 Supervisor qualification in 1985 is currently in a position that and performed as a supervisor requires regular welding, does that mean you could fill your to 2005 before becoming a Quality Coordinator, what does vacancy? this mean? It means that the In summary, a qualification is person is a supervisor with 20 an acknowledgment of a level years’ experience but may not of knowledge gained through have performed the function education or training at a point for 12 years. There is no life in time whereas a certification on a welding supervisor’s is an acknowledgment of qualification, so the person

The question remains, does the welding industry need to review qualification and certification or is the current solution acceptable?

I would enjoy your thoughts on this question so please feel free to send feedback to training@wtia.com.au.

FURTHER INFORMATION For further details about WTIA training courses, please visit: the WTIA website.

Alternatively, contact Paul James, WTIA Training Manager, on 02 8748 0150 or p.james@wtia.com.au

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